We are an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the history, culture and true lives of Romani people worldwide.
We confront racism and oppression wherever we encounter it.
We try to make connections with all the "isms" that make up western culture.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

NEWS FROM DALE FARM

1. COME TO DALE FARM: The dates of the eviction have now been revealed: bailiffs and police will start ‘securing’ the site from 12th Sept, and will start taking out caravans/bull dozing homes on the week 19th September. We URGENTLY need people to come down to Dale Farm from the week of the 12th to support the community as the eviction approaches. The eviction is likely to be protracted (90 families will be evicted plot by plot from 50+ plots). It will take a mass flow of supporters over this entire period (from 12th Sept until the end of September) to fend off bailiffs and stop the destruction of this community.

On 19th September Basildon Council and the coalition government who are financing this will face a moral challenge to explain to thousands of people and the world’s assembled media why they are choosing to make over 100 children homeless and remove them from their schools. The eviction has been condemned by a broad coalition of groups, including Amnesty International, trade-unionists, and anti-racism groups.

The 19th will be a critical day for the residents, but if you can get there sooner your presence will be a massive boost for residents and supporters who have already joined Camp Constant. If you are coming to the demo on 10th Sept, bring a sleeping bag and a toothbrush and stay for as long as you can. Our ability to stop this ethnic cleansing is now almost entirely down to numbers- so come on down! For more information and to sign up to the sms eviction notification, see here.

2. DEMO: Join us at Wickford Station at 1pm, Saturday 10th Sept, to march to Dale Farm. Residents and supporters will march together, in peace, at 1pm. Poster here. Call out here. Bring banners. You can get a train to Wickford from Liverpool Street (just 35 mins), or contact: savedalefarm@gmail.com or check the website for details of coaches leaving from other locations.

3. PETITION: The UN has called on the government to suspend the “immature and unwise” eviction, saying it would “disproportionately affect the lives of the Gypsy and Traveller families, particularly women, children and older people”. There is a petition to sign here – please do sign it.

4. DONATE: We very much need to keep funds flowing in – large numbers of supporters on site need to be fed, legal observers need training and equipment, site phones need credit, banners need making, posters need printing, and so on. If you can, please help. See here.

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FLAG OF THE ROMA

LOLO DIKLO : RrOMANI AGAINST RACISM

Lolo Diklo : Rromani Against Racism is an organization dedicated to providing information about the true situation of the Romani (Gypsies) in the world today. We are committed to confronting racism and oppression wherever it is found.

BACKGROUND

The Romani are a people who are not very well known. We are an ethnic group of people originally from India. We left India and arrived in Europe sometime in the 1300's. There are many theories as to why we left India. This is the work of academics, and we have some. Most Romani are more concerned about daily survival to worry about documentation of our past. We know who we are.

What is known about the Romani is, for the most part, stereotypically based. We are portrayed as romantic, carefree wonderers or child stealers, pick pockets and beggers.

Today the Romani of Europe face the same discrimination they have faced for centuries.